Fall For You
by HarvestMoonFreak723
Summary: Rio is the new farmer of Echo Village; she's also their last hope. Neil is the animal dealer (who after a scarring incident from his past) has returned to his hometown. Are these two destined to be more than a source of business to each other? Can Rio save this doomed town? Can Neil forget the past to see the future presented to him? (Based off actual game experience of the author)
1. Prologue

Rio

* * *

"Rio! Hart!"

I groan from my bed and shove the pillow over my head.

"Come down! Papa and I have to talk to you two."

_Please don't be what time I think it is._

I glance at my clock, and moan.

_Yep. 6:00 AM.  
On Saturday._

A few weeks ago Papa decided to tell us about his given-up dream to run this farm in this tiny little village to be with Mama. It was interesting enough.

Being a city girl, I never really came into contact with things in the country like farms.

However, that doesn't mean I haven't grown up with the next best thing.

Truth is Mama had me do every kind of farming/bonding thing she could think of while in the city. I've been given riding lessons, tended gardens, and worked with pets and animals as a volunteer at vets and shelters.

It was as country as it could be in modern civilization.

"One minute Mama!" I shout down as I get out of bed. I go up to my mirror and start brushing the snarls out of my long locks.

I get dressed into my favorite outfit, an old pair of blue overalls, paired with a red scarf, knee-length hiking boots, a white, long-sleeved shirt, and my cowgirl hat with a cow hide design.  
I've got a thing for hats.

...Ok, more like a strange obsession. Kidding. It's just the one hat.

If my attire isn't enough, I have stereotypically straight, sun blonde hair, that reaches down to my shoulder blades. Dark, sapphire blue eyes blink back at me.

I'm not a girl who cares for makeup, but I will settle for a little eyeliner. I pull out my dark purple stick. My favorite color of all time is dark purple, the closer to black the better.

I stifle a yawn as I cross the hall and bang on Hart's door.

Hart is my older brother by two years. He turned 22 not too long ago, so he should be almost done with college soon.

He looks nothing like me, with medium colored brown hair and equally shaded eyes. But I guess there's some resemblance in our faces.

He's pretty country as well, he's been my partner for a lot of the things Mama has had me do. He's even got his own overalls and scarf as his favorite clothing items. He has a trademark hat of his own as well.

I press my ear against the door and hear a muffled grunt and then a sigh.

I nod and walk off, knowing he heard me.

I stand at the edge of the stairs, trying to stall the feeling I'm getting in my gut.

My gut is telling me something big is going to happen.

Something I'm not sure is entirely bad... or good. 

* * *

Neil

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me," I mumble as I open my eyes.

That idiot just walked in my house after knocking, not even waiting for me to respond.

_Maybe I can have him arrested for breaking and entering._

"Good morning Neil," he says cheerily, his smile showing dimples that shouldn't exist at his age.

"What do you want?" I complain. "I haven't even gotten out of bed yet."

His smile doesn't even waver. I annoys the crap out of me.

"Wonderful news, Neil," he begins. "I just received a letter from an old friend."

"And this concerns me, how?" I probe, not really caring about the answer.

"Well," he says. "I don't want to give away too much, but I need to ask a favor of you."

I sigh. Great. Just what I needed. Running errands for the old guy.

"What could you possibly need me for, Dunhill?" I snap.

I get out my hand mirror to see my dark, crimson eyes look cloudy, and my short, sunset hair is in the messiest bed-head I've ever seen. _Wonderful._

"Look around you; there are only six villagers in this town, including you and me," I tell him, throwing on my long scarlet jacket over my raven black shirt. "And none of you take care of animals."

His smile wavers at the edge. Only by a little, though.

"Neil, I know you just went through a tough time," he starts, "and I know you just returned not long ago, but I really think you need to do this as much as I need it done."

I sigh again. I hate when people make me feel guilty.

_Don't complain. It's better to be here and do some errands than go back...go back there again. See HIM again... _

"Fine," I huff, crossing my arms over my chest. I eye him groggily.

"What do I have to do?" I smirk.


	2. Plans

~~~~ **RIO** ~~~~

* * *

_"Sit down kids, we have an announcement," Mama says as Hart and I drag ourselves down the stairs._

"What is it, Ma?" Hart asks right after a yawn takes control over him.

I nod my head as I rub my eye sleepily.

My mama is beautiful. She has shiny, silky chestnut hair that reaches her waist, with little ringlets at the ends. It never has split ends or loses its shine. Two, bright crystal blue orbs blink in her face, sparkling her whole life, especially when she smiles.

Papa has golden blond locks, naturally straight and thick, much like mine. His eyes resemble the presence of melted milk chocolate pouring into a river. He almost never frowns.

Papa takes Mama's hand in his and she smiles at him reassuringly. He turns to us, his face serious, but his eyes erupting with optimism.

"Kids, you remember the town I told you about?" he probes.

We nod, still sleepy and now a little confused.

"Well, turns out my old friend is still the mayor there. He sent me a letter the other day. It's real bad, the place has slowly been losing residents over the years. He said he's down to five villagers now, including himself."

I was saddened to hear how upset Papa sounded. That place had a lot of sentimental value to him, and he hated that it was suffering.

"I'm so sorry Papa," I tell him, a bit more awake now but still not following the point.

He shrugs but his smile wavers around the corners.

"Anyway, he told me the farm was still standing, and was actually in great condition. He's been keeping an eye on it for me but he's too old to run it. He said he doesn't know what will happen to it if the rest of the villagers leave..."

He trailed off there, leaving the uncertainty hanging in the air.

An idea came to me then.

Possibly the best thing that could ever happen to me.

I grinned.

Then I full out beamed.

"I know what to do." 

* * *

The memory of what happened plays in my head for the third time as I exit the taxi and walk down an old, bare dirt path.

"I'm a freaking genius~," I sing to myself. "This could **not** be more perfect~." 

* * *

_"I'll take over the farm," I declared as I stood up proudly._

My parents were shocked for a second, then Papa cheered and grabbed me in a bear hug.

"That's my girl," he whispered in my ear.  
"I knew I could count on you, Rio." 

* * *

I smile as I pass through a few ferns blocking the path. I read a wooden marker that points in my direction, with the scrawl ECHO VILLAGE written in faded black ink.

_How perfect was this? A week ago I had no idea what to do with my life in the boring, busy city. Now not only do I get to work on a real farm like I always dreamed, I get to OWN it!_

I smile like an idiot as I continue walking down the path. A minute later a large man, and a large child that looks like his son, enter my line of sight. They're pulling a large wagon, the kind people use to move... all their possessions...

_Oh._

"Good morning, miss," the man nods politely, and his son waves at me.  
I smile and wiggle my fingers at the boy. He giggles.  
"Good morning to you as well, sir," I reply, smiling at him.  
"You going to Echo Village?" the man asks.  
I nod and smile again.  
"Keep going," he says. "We just came from there; it's a few more minutes."  
"Thank you sir," I bow, and he ways his hand dismissively.  
"You take care now miss, you hear?" He offers before taking his sons hand and moving along.

I watch as the boy waves again, and I smile and wave back. I wait until I can't see them anymore to continue forward.

But I can't stop the sadness that overcomes me at their departure.

Why were they leaving? 

* * *

~~~~ **NEIL** ~~~~ 

* * *

"Well Neil, never though I'd be sending orders out to Dunhill again, that's for sure," Kenny comments as I fill out the necessary paperwork.

I nod, my thoughts equal. It was shocking to hear that this was his favor.

"I thought you were done working there cause the town was hopeless?" he probs.

I shrug and look uninterested. "It's no big deal. My place had some... complications. And that old geezer, practically asked me to _marry him_, begged for me to come back. Seemed like a good idea, I guess. My house there is still standing and everything."

My boss nods his head in understanding. "You know Neil, I have a good feeling about this order. I'm telling you."

My curiosity rose. But only slightly. There's only so much effort I can put into things.

"What makes you say that?" I mumble, not bothering to look up from my paperwork.

"Because," he pauses, trying to sound dramatic, "there's only one reason why he would bother to have you order livestock for a empty town with no farmer."

I keep writing, not really listening anymore. Sometime I swear its like I work for an absolute idiot, I swear to Goddess.

"This sudden order," he tries again, "means a new farmer is coming to live there!" he cheered, throwing a fist above his head.

Seriously.

He actually jumped up, with his fists in the air.

A fifty-freaking-six year old man.

I sigh, running a hand through my uneven, self-cut blond mane. "And what's so great about that? One villager; whoop-die-do," I ask, uncaring leaking from my tone.

"Neil," he shakes his head at me. "I'm disappointed in you. Haven't you noticed this in all your time as an Animal Dealer? Whenever a farmer comes to a doomed town, that town prospers so much people start believing in magic again."

"They bring hope." I whisper.


End file.
